Despite the fact that there are approximately one billion Protestant Christians located all across the world, the rest of the world doesn’t always fully understand them.
It’s easy to see why… Protestants are a very diverse group with some strange and even contradictory beliefs between the different denominations.
Recently, on a popular social platform, someone asked, “What are some incorrect things you often hear Catholics say about Protestantism/Protestants?”
As always, the answers were interesting and telling! Buckle up, because you just might learn a thing or two!
1. They Combine Denominations of Protestants
One of the biggest misconceptions many Catholics have about Protestant Christians is that all Protestants are the same.
In actuality, there are thousands of different Protestant denominations, and each one is a little unique in its beliefs and traditions.
While there are several beliefs that most Protestant churches have in common, it is very difficult to say anything definitively about all of them.
One person responded, “Basically conflating American evangelicals with Protestants generally. That’s just not how they represent themselves across much of the world and most Protestants find that kind of approach actively distasteful.”
Another person agreed, saying, “Lumping all Protestants in together like they are all the same single religious branch. Trying to keep track of all the Protestant religious groups and what the believe, how close or far away from what Catholics believe will give you a headache.”
2. They Think All Protestant Pastors are Televangelists
If you have never attended a Protestant church in person or you don’t know many Protestant believers in real life, it is understandable that you might think we are all like the televangelists you see on TV.
In reality, nothing could be further than the truth.
While some Protestant believers do share beliefs with famous televangelists, many other Protestants are just as annoyed by these types as you are.
A person replied, “That all Protestants are Hagee or Osteen types.”
3. They Think All Protestants Believe in the Rapture
Because Protestants vary widely in their beliefs, not all Protestants believe the same thing about the rapture.
While some believers have a theology similar to what you might read about in the Left Behind series, many other Protestants agree that the popular books are likely more fiction than fact.
While we don’t know what the end times will look like for sure, Protestant Christians have a wide range of theories that rarely agree with each other.
Someone shared, “That all Protestants believe in rapture.”
4. They Believe All Protestants Go to A Megachurch
Personally, I love attending a great megachurch worship service on occasion. However, this is only one type of Protestant service.
You can find Protestant churches of all sizes and each is unique.
While some churches are loud and showy, many others are small, quiet, and contemplative.
Whatever you are looking for in a church service, you can pretty much find it in a Protestant church if you are willing to give a few of them a try!
One person said, “I think the biggest misconception that people have in the US is that all Protestants are non-denominational evangelicals in megachurches and whatnot.”
5. They Think Protestants Hate Catholics
Unfortunately, there are some Protestants (and non-Christians) who either hate Catholics or think that they are seriously misguided.
Thankfully, this does not describe the majority of Protestants by any stretch of the imagination.
Most Protestants recognize that we don’t have it all figured out and are more than willing to accept some level of diversity in beliefs.
Many Protestants prefer to focus on the major doctrine and not worry at all about minor theological issues.
6. They Believe Baptists Don’t Drink
Should Christians drink? It depends who you ask!
When it comes to drinking culture, Catholics and Protestants are definitely not always the same.
While Catholics commonly enjoy alcohol at church softball games and even during church itself (in the Eucharist), some Protestant churches (particularly Baptist churches) teach that alcohol is a no-no, even for adults.
This belief varies wildly from church to church, however. It is not uncommon to hear of Christians who believe drinking is sinful, but this definitely does not apply to all Protestants
Someone shared, “There is a misconception that Baptist don’t drink. “
Another person chimed in with, “Reformed Baptist do!”
7. They Believe Protestants are Uninformed
Some Catholics can’t imagine how Protestants could come to their beliefs and, as a result, simply assume that we must be woefully uninformed about the Bible and church teaching.
While it is true that Protestants generally know far less about church history than Catholics do, it is also generally true that Protestants know their Bible verses far better than their Catholic counterparts do.
Just because the two come to different conclusions based on the same Bible verses does not mean that one side or the other is ignorant or uninformed.
Oftentimes, they do know the arguments. They just don’t agree.
One person said, “I think a lot of Catholics (especially the type who discuss religion online) basically have a reductive view that Protestants are just dumb and/or uninformed people.”
Someone else said, “As convert from the Episcopal church (so I understand my perspective of liturgical service and tradition is very Catholic), I struggle with Catholics assuming no Protestants know liturgical things. For example: The church calendar. The tradition of an empty Manger. The advent candles. No hallelujah during lent. Lent itself. The Nicene Creed. The Our father. I could name more. Heck, I got married in the Episcopal church, and I had to get permission to get married during Christmas (the 28th), bc Christmas is 12 days. I knew that as a Protestant and many Protestants DO KNOW THESE THINGS.”
8. They Think Protestants are Inconsistent
For those who aren’t overly familiar with the various Protestant denominations, Protestant Church teaching can seem very inconsistent and strange.
While we have to admit that all people have strange beliefs at times (Catholic and Protestant alike), this misconception is often rooted in not understanding the differences between the various denominations.
Protestants do not have one head leader over the entire Protestant church like Roman Catholics do. For this reason, individual churches are free to come to their own conclusions on things, and the churches don’t always agree.
One person admitted, “I’m not well versed in Protestantism faith wise. What I do know, I find rather incongruent.”
9. They Don’t Think Protestants Take Communion
It is true that Protestant communion practices are quite different than what Catholics experience at Sunday mass.
While Catholic church services center around the Eucharist, communion is a much smaller part of Protestant services.
Some Protestant churches do you offer communion every single week. Others only participate once a month. And no matter how often they offer communion, different churches have different practices around how it is taken.
It makes sense that Catholics would find this confusing!
Someone shared, “The Methodist churches I attended with friends did not do communion when I attended although I grew up Baptist. It’s sporadic, maybe the first Sunday of each month? But it does vary from church to church from what I’ve experienced.”
10. They Think People are Protestant Because They Don’t Like Catholics
While some Protestant converts choose to become Protestant after rejecting Catholic Church teaching, this is not the typical way that people become Protestants.
Typically, people are Protestant because they were raised that way and chose to continue or because they had a friend or family member invite them to a Protestant church. It is rarely a reaction against Catholicism.
One person responded, “Protestants are Protestants because they dislike Catholicism when most of them were just born and raised that way. It’s not a decision against another religion or denomination.”
15 Quirky Things Protestant Do That No One Else Understands
A large and wildly diverse group without one central authority, it’s difficult to pinpoint Protestant culture exactly.
From Baptists to Methodists to Evangelicals to Lutherans, each individual denomination has its own practices, traditions, and beliefs. A common trait that applies to one rarely (if ever) applies to all.
That being said, there are a few practices that are distinctly Protestant — practices that others find a bit weird or quirky.
Whether your church is guilty of all of these or none of these, you might just get a chuckle at these 13 quirky things Protestants do that no one else understands!
15 Quirky Things Protestant Do That No One Else Understands
15 Important Issues Catholics and Protestants Can’t Seem to Agree On
Have you ever wondered what Catholics or Protestants really believe?
Maybe you were taught that the “other side” is completely wrong, misguided, and sinful, but you’re not sure why (or if that’s even accurate).
As someone who grew up in a very Protestant home and culture (my grandpa was a pastor) before marrying into a very Catholic family (we attend mass every week), I’ve had a front row seat to see how these two major branches of Christianity compare.
In many ways, Catholics and Protestants really aren’t that different.
And, interestingly enough, some of the biggest differences between Catholic and Protestant Churches aren’t limited only to differences in belief. There are some pretty big cultural differences as well.
So, at the risk of oversimplifying (obviously, every individual church is different), here are the biggest differences between Catholic vs. Protestant worship and belief.
15 Important Issues Catholics and Protestants Can’t Seem to Agree On
Brittany Ann is an ECPA bestselling author and founder of Equipping Godly Women and Monetize My Ministry. She’s also a Christian speaker, podcaster, and conference host. Her work has been featured on numerous TV, radio, and online ministries, including CBN, MSN, Christianity Today, Evangelical Alliance, Patheos, Crosswalk, and more.
